Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Written Answers Nos. 501-523

Schools Refurbishment

Ceisteanna (501)

Seamus Healy

Ceist:

501. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 9 December 2014, if she will confirm that the tender process to appoint the design team to complete the design of the extension and refurbishment works required in a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary has been completed; if a successful tenderer has been appointed and an approximate date for the completion of the design; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17727/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The project referred to by the Deputy is currently completing the Design Team appointment stage. The Tender competition for the Design Team appointment has concluded and the Board of Management have finalised the assessment of the tenders received. Letters of Intent and feedback letters have recently issued to all Tenderers and subject to no issues arising the formal appointment of the Design Team will be completed in the coming weeks.

The project will provide for refurbishment of the listed building on site and extension to provide overall accommodation for a 16 classroom school. My Department has already secured planning permission for the project using in-house Architectural resources. Once appointed the design team will work on the basis established under that planning permission to bring this project through the remaining stages of the architectural planning process.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Ceisteanna (502)

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

502. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will set out in detail the way the inheritance of a sum of money is dealt with when assessing the reckonable income of the parents of a dependant student in respect of the student grant scheme 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17734/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Article 24(6) of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 provides that gifts or inheritances received in the reference period will be included as reckonable income.

If any of the persons whose income is under consideration received a gift or an inheritance in the reference period, these are included in reckonable income, unless in the case of an independent student, the gift or inheritance was between the applicant and his or her spouse, civil partner or cohabitant; or in the case of a dependent student, the gift or inheritance was between parents or to the applicant from his or her parent(s).

It will be necessary for the persons whose income is under consideration to complete a Gifts and Inheritance Form (available from their grant awarding authority) unless the gift or inheritance is covered by one of the exceptions outlined above.

School Enrolments

Ceisteanna (503)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

503. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her plans to deal with the projected increase in demand for school places at primary and post-primary level in the Littlepace, Castaheany and Ongar areas of Dublin 15 in the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17744/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that my Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to accommodate increasing pupil numbers. In that regard, it is also open to schools to submit applications for funding under my Department's additional accommodation scheme to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments and where an additional teacher is being appointed. The relevant application form may be accessed on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

In order to meet demographic demand at primary level, new school accommodation has been provided in over 6 schools in the Dublin 15 areas referred to by the Deputy. This additional accommodation together with that in existing primary schools is considered adequate based on current demographic data to meet pupil demands in the area.

In relation to post primary provision in the Dublin 15 areas concerned, an additional 1,000 pupil post primary school has been established in September 2014 to meet demographic demand. My Department considers that the school classroom accommodation being provided by this school together with that in existing post primary schools is adequate to meet the demand in the Dublin 15 areas in question. This may sometimes, however, lead to pupils not being offered a place in their school of first preference.

In addition, I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently carrying out a nationwide demographic exercise, including the areas in question, to determine where additional post-primary school accommodation might be needed from 2017 onwards. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional post-primary accommodation where this is needed.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Ceisteanna (504)

Michael McCarthy

Ceist:

504. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 383 of 28 April 2015, if an official will be nominated to deal directly with the school in question so that a roadmap of the process will be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17749/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the school, in question, has been provided with contact details to facilitate the school's liaison with my Department's Building Unit in relation to its building project.

I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has written in recent days to the school concerned in respect of their immediate accommodation requirements.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (505)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

505. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the glowing report the Government has given itself in its spring economic statement whether she will immediately reverse the 15% cut in resource teaching hours for students with special education needs that she imposed in 2012; if she will restore resource teaching hours for students with special education needs to the levels pertaining in 2010, which are the levels recommended by the report of the special education review committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17759/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that some €1.37 billion will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year, which represents approximately 15% of my Department's budget.

This has provided for the allocation of over 11,000 resource and learning support teaching posts which will be the highest level of resource teaching allocations that we have ever had, and will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

This Government has significantly increased the overall number of resource teaching posts available to schools in recent years.

Some 480 additional resource teaching posts were provided for the 2014/15 school year and an additional 480 posts have been made available for the 2015/16 year, in order to meet growing demand from schools for low incidence special educational needs support.

The number of Resource Teaching/Learning Support Teachers in mainstream schools is over 11,000 at the moment, which is more than at any time previously. This can be compared with 10,305 posts for the 2012/13 school year and 9,950 posts for the 2011/12 year.

There are therefore now more additional resource teachers/learning support teachers in our schools than at any time previously.

The General Allocation Model, which allocates over 4,200 Learning Support/Resource Teachers for all primary schools, is also now updated annually, based on the number of mainstream teaching posts in schools in the previous year, and is therefore updated annually to reflect growth in school size. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has recommended the development of a new model for delivering teaching resources to schools to support students with special needs.

Through consultations, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from Parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, there has not been sufficient time to address all of the concerns which have been raised in advance of the 2015 school year.

My Department is, however, continuing to develop the new allocation model for schools and is currently working to devise a pilot of the new model. Issues regarding any adjustments to the existing allocation process will therefore be considered in the context of the development of a new allocation model.

Momentum Programme

Ceisteanna (506)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

506. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the average cost to the Exchequer of a place on the MOMENTUM programme, excluding income support. [17769/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Momentum programme is funded through an innovative performance funding model, whereby funds are only transferred by SOLAS to relevant education and training providers upon achievement of certain milestones. In traditional payment models, the State is responsible for the entire programme costs. In Momentum, the provider shares the risk so that, for example, where participants drop out the payment reduces.

For the current round of Momentum, the average per person fee submitted by providers is €4,328. The payment model transfers a portion of the financial risk to the provider, as a result, SOLAS expects that the average cost per person will be in the region of 70% of the submitted fee or €3,029.

Higher Education Institutions Expenditure

Ceisteanna (507)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

507. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her views on the pressures on educational services at the National College of Art and Design as a result of graduate numbers increasing by 33% since 2010 and staff numbers having being cut by 15%; her plans to improve resource allocations to the college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17777/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The reality of the economic situation and the public expenditure corrections which had to be made in recent years presented challenges across all areas of public expenditure, including in higher education institutions such as the National College of Art and Design (NCAD).

Higher education institutions such as NCAD are autonomous bodies and have responsibility for their own day to day affairs. However, it should be noted that according to Higher Education Authority figures, the overall (full and part-time) enrolments at NCAD has increased from 1,174 in 2009/10 to 1,224 in 2013/14 an increase of 4.2%, while a reduction in staffing numbers of 9.5%.has occurred for the same period.

An Expert Group, chaired by Peter Cassells, is currently examining future funding options for higher education. The objective is to identify a range of approaches that, combined, will achieve a sustainable funding base to address the continual expansion of the sector while protecting the quality of education.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (508)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

508. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills in respect of the interim measure recently introduced whereby schools will receive 2.5 resource teacher hours per week for each child with Down's syndrome, whether she will provide details of the number of new applications for which a request to avail of these hours has been received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17782/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced that additional resources will be allocated to schools, as an interim measure, to support those children with Down syndrome, who are not already supported through the National Council for Special Education's (NCSE) low incidence resource teaching annual allocation process.

I advised that this measure was being introduced in recognition of the length of time it will take to introduce the new resource teacher allocation model and the fact that children with Down syndrome experience a cluster of difficulties relating to this syndrome, in addition to general learning difficulties, including speech and language developmental delays.

Schools were asked to apply to the NCSE for additional resource teaching hours for children with Down syndrome by 17th April, 2015, following which the additional hours will be included in allocations to qualifying schools for the 2015/16 school year.

The NCSE has advised that 161 valid applications have been received from schools to date, in respect of children with Down syndrome, not already supported through the NCSE annual allocation process. Additional applications may also be received under any second round application process.

Third Level Courses Availability

Ceisteanna (509)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

509. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that there will be no reduction in courses or resources available in University College Cork, pertaining to the study of language and culture in east Asia, which is particularly important in the context of Irish trade promotion in expanding and emerging markets in Asia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17813/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Under the Universities Act 1997 University College Cork is an autonomous statutory institution and its authorities are responsible for the internal deployment of resources within the University. My Department is currently in the process of drafting a Strategy on Foreign Languages in Education which will recognise the importance of foreign languages.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Ceisteanna (510)

Anthony Lawlor

Ceist:

510. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to means testing for Student Universal Support Ireland grants, if consideration will be given to an applicant's outgoings as well as income, particularly in cases where it can be proven that a large proportion of an applicant's assessed income is used to serve residual bank debt and failure to secure this grant would cause the applicant undue hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17822/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period.

The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.

Therefore, the assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions in different households.

Question No. 511 answered with Question No. 497.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Ceisteanna (512)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

512. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the number of all-girl primary schools; the total number of pupils in these schools; the cost to her Department if these schools were allocated five hours of learning support per mainstream teacher - as opposed to four hours of learning support per mainstream teacher - under the current rules of the general allocation model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17865/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that differing teacher allocation ratios are applied under the General Allocation Model (GAM) in relation to boys, girls and mixed schools in order to account for differentials of prevalence of learning difficulty between boys and girls. The objective of this differentiation is to ensure that resources provided to schools to support children who have additional learning needs are targeted to ensure that those children most in need benefit from these resources.

The rationale for the differing ratios is based on international literature on the incidence of disability as well as international and national surveys of literacy and numeracy which indicate that there is a greater incidence of disability/learning difficulty in boys than girls.

The NCSE has published a report 'A study of the Prevalence of Special Educational Needs' which is available at www.ncse.ie and which contains details regarding the prevalence of special needs among the pupil population including noting gender differentials.

It should be noted that schools in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School Band 1 category also receive an additional base allocation of 0.4 of a post if the school has 200 or more pupils or an additional 0.2 of a post if the school has less than 200 pupils.

For the 2014/15 school year there are 164 schools classified as Girls Schools for GAM allocation purposes with total enrolments of 48,007 pupils. The estimated cost of the cost if these schools were allocated five hours' learning support per mainstream teacher, as opposed to 4 hours' learning support per mainstream teacher, under the current rules of the General Allocation Model would be approximately €4.25m per annum.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has recommended the development of a new model for delivering teaching resources to schools to support students with special needs.

Through consultations, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from Parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, there has not been sufficient time to address all of the concerns which have been raised in advance of the 2015 school year.

My Department is, however, continuing to develop the new allocation model for schools and is currently working to devise a pilot of the new model. Issues regarding any adjustments to the existing allocation process will therefore be considered in the context of the development of a new allocation model. It should be noted, however, that the NCSE report recommended that gender should continue to be a factor in deciding on school profile for resource allocation purposes.

School Staff

Ceisteanna (513)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

513. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will support primary education in respect of class size, posts of responsibility and loss of income over the past number of years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17877/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. The staffing arrangements for the 2015/2016 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the Department website.

At primary level the staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.

When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility.

The alleviation arrangements set out in Circular 0004/2014 provide a floor by which schools acutely affected at AP level by the impact of the moratorium can fill their AP vacancies as they arise to the level of the thresholds set out in that circular.

It continues to be a matter for each individual school authority to re-organise and prioritise the appropriate duties for post of responsibility holders in the context of implementing the moratorium.

Economic constraints and the moratorium on recruitment albeit alleviated to some extent for schools, have presented challenges within the education sector. They also provide an opportunity to review the role of the principal so that our principals are leaders of learning, and to reconfigure the middle management structure to support principals in their role, ensuring ownership of responsibility rather than tasks, thereby building expertise and supporting a career path within the profession.

The Department, in consultation with the representative management bodies has commenced an exploration of the opportunities to support and thereby advance our understanding of the needs of school leaders and how they might be addressed.

The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers.

The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.

Educational Disadvantage

Ceisteanna (514, 515)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

514. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the number of all-girl primary urban band 2 schools under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme; the total number of students in these schools; the cost to her Department, if these schools were allocated five hours of learning support per mainstream teacher as opposed to four hours, under the current rules of the general allocation model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17881/15]

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

515. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the number of all-girl primary rural schools under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme; the total number of students in these schools; the cost to her Department if these schools were allocated five hours of learning support per mainstream teacher, as opposed to four hours, under the current rules of the general allocation model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17882/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.

There are 24 all girls' Primary Urban Band 2 DEIS schools (or considered Girls Schools for GAM/EAL purposes) with a total enrolment of 5,903. If these schools were allocated five hours' learning support per mainstream teachers as opposed to four hours under the current rules of GAM/EAL, this would result in approximately 9 additional posts.

There are 3 all girls' DEIS Rural schools with a total enrolment of 278 pupils. An increase in allocation from four to five hours would results in approximately an additional 0.5 post.

As the Deputy may be aware, differing teacher allocation ratios are applied under the General Allocation Model (GAM) in relation to boys, girls and mixed schools in order to account for differentials of prevalence of learning difficulty between boys and girls. The objective of this differentiation is to ensure that resources provided to schools to support children who have additional learning needs are targeted to ensure that those children most in need benefit from these resources.

The rationale for the differing ratios is based on international literature on the incidence of disability as well as international and national surveys of literacy and numeracy which indicate that there is a greater incidence of disability/learning difficulty in boys than girls.

The NCSE has published a report 'A study of the Prevalence of Special Educational Needs' which is available at www.ncse.ie and which contains details regarding the prevalence of special needs among the pupil population including noting gender differentials.

It should be noted that schools in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School Band 1 category also receive an additional base allocation of 0.4 of a post if the school has 200 or more pupils or an additional 0.2 of a post if the school has less than 200 pupils.

Details of the GAM allocation process for schools for the coming 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 05/2015, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

Schools Building Projects Status

Ceisteanna (516)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

516. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the position regarding progressing the provision of extra facilities at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if all documentation required has been submitted by the school authorities; the extent to which this documentation has been assessed to date; when it is expected approval will issue to enable the school proceed to planning permission stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17888/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy, is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2b Detailed Design, which includes obtaining the necessary statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.

In February of this year, the appointment of a replacement design team to the building project was completed and the school authorities were requested to liaise with their new design team, progress the project to Stage 2b, apply to secure statutory approvals and complete tender documentation including prequalification of contractors.

A submission from the Board of Management and their new design team was made to the Department, and comments have issued to the school authorities in order to provide clarification on a number of issues for the school and their design team.

This project was included on the 5 year construction programme to proceed to tender and construction in 2014/15. When the Stage 2(b) submission for the project has been received and assessed, my Department will be in further communication with the school authority regarding the progression of the project to tender and construction at that time.

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Ceisteanna (517)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

517. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of recruitment to public sector bodies under the aegis of her Department since the partial lifting of the embargo on recruitment. [18250/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

New arrangements for the restoration to my Department of delegated sanction for recruiting and promoting certain public sector staff are currently being finalised with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. These new arrangements are expected to be shortly finalised. In the meantime the existing arrangements continue to apply.

As part of this Government's commitment to protect front line services in schools, appointments of teaching staff have been exempted from the moratorium on recruitment applying across other areas. In this regard, additional teaching staff have continued to be provided to reflect increases in pupil numbers in schools. As part of Budget 2015 I gave a commitment to the recruitment of approximately 900 extra mainstream teachers and 480 Resource Teachers in schools for the 2015/16 school year. I also made provision in the Budget for the employment of extra Special Needs Assistants, with an increased ceiling of 11,330 posts for 2015.

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

Ceisteanna (518)

Seamus Kirk

Ceist:

518. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the current status of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas report; the amount of funding that will be put aside for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17208/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (or CEDRA) published its report in 2014. The Report contained 34 recommendations focussed on supporting the medium term economic development of rural areas in the period to 2025. I was appointed Minister for Rural Affairs in July 2014, and in line with the recommendations in the CEDRA Report, I immediately established the CEDRA Interdepartmental Group (IDG).

The IDG, which is made up of representatives from all relevant Government Departments, is currently working in a coordinated way to ensure that each Department’s policy development and implementation fully considers the needs of rural communities. In this context, it is about maximising the financial resources already available for rural development and ensuring that these resources are directed in a way that best supports the sustainable economic development of rural areas.

In order to maintain strong links with people in rural Ireland who are involved in or have a strong interest in the economic development of rural areas and communities, both Minister Kelly and I have recently established an Expert Advisory Group to monitor progress and provide advice in respect of the implementation of the recommendations in the CEDRA report. This group, which is chaired by Mr. Pat Spillane and met for the first time recently, is looking at the CEDRA recommendations with a view to offering advice regarding priority actions to support the implementation process.

Regarding the funds available to implement this report in 2015, the intention was not to allocate a specific budget for the purposes of implementing the recommendations of the CEDRA report but rather to ensure that all relevant stakeholders maximise the potential of existing funding streams to support the economic development of rural areas specifically. However, €1 million was allocated in the budget for 2015 to establish a Rural Innovation and Development fund in line with CEDRA recommendations to support innovative, small scale pilot initiatives. Agreement has been reached on the types of projects to be supported under this scheme and a call for proposals for some elements will issue shortly.

Work is also advancing on the establishment of a Rural Economic Development Zone (REDZ) pilot scheme and an amount of €2 million is being made available to support the implementation of this pilot. I expect to announce the details of this pilot shortly. A further €5 million has also been provided for an expanded REDZ scheme under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme and I am confident that the learning from the pilot will allow us to progress that in early 2016.

It should be noted that significant progress has already been made in terms of implementing the recommendations of the CEDRA Report and this will continue through the work of the IDG over the coming period.

Rural Development Programme

Ceisteanna (519)

Martin Ferris

Ceist:

519. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider allowing a 29th subregion under the rural development programme to deal with offshore islands, so that those organisations specifically dealing with the islands' unique conditions and circumstances will be enabled to tender as local action groups under the programme. [17274/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

For the purposes of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, rural areas in Ireland are considered to be those areas outside the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland is reconfiguring the way in which local and rural development interventions are implemented. This is in line with Government policy to ensure that local government is well positioned to support the effective and efficient delivery of local and rural development. In this context, €220 million of the overall LEADER programme complement for the 2014-2020 period has been allocated based on administrative or county boundaries to 28 sub-regional areas. I do not propose to change this at this stage.

However, in the context of the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme, I am anxious that the implementation of the LEADER elements of the programme reflects a community led approach and in order to ensure this, each sub-regional area will be responsible for determining its own needs and will outline how it proposes to address those needs in its Local Development Strategy.

This approach will also apply to those areas that contain island communities and each Local Development Strategy will be required to outline how it proposes to address the needs of both its Island and Gaeltacht communities, as appropriate. I encourage these communities to engage fully with the Local Development Strategy development processes for their respective areas in order to ensure that their needs and concerns are fully addressed.

Electromagnetic Fields Studies

Ceisteanna (520)

Jack Wall

Ceist:

520. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the electric and magnetic fields report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17437/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department has commissioned a study to review and report on international developments on the potential health effects of electro-magnetic fields, by examining international developments in non-ionising radiation (NIR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) research, which have taken place since publication in 2007 of a report by the then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields.

Representatives from a number of Departments, together with national and international experts, are currently overseeing the study which is being undertaken by RIVM, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. It is expected that the report will be completed in the near future and will be published soon thereafter.

Local Authority Staff Recruitment

Ceisteanna (521)

Tom Fleming

Ceist:

521. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will lift the embargo on county councils outdoor staff to enable councils to carry out essential work in communities, as committed to by the Government in the property tax resource, as this will enable councils to make full-time employees of the current temporary gateway workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17714/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

As announced in Budget 2015, the moratorium and the Employment Control Framework for the Public Service have been lifted but recruitment/promotion will be subject to adherence to binding 3 year pay ceilings. Staffing resources must be managed within these overall ceilings. Detailed arrangements in terms of the local government sector will be worked out between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. This includes budgetary matters. In this regard, it is a matter for Chief Executives to ensure that the appropriate service levels are maintained.

National Spatial Strategy

Ceisteanna (522)

Seamus Kirk

Ceist:

522. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his plans to re-introduce the national spatial strategy, focusing on gateways and hubs in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17206/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The 2002 National Spatial Strategy (NSS) was Ireland’s first national strategic spatial planning framework and outlined policies and objectives to secure a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions through the co-ordinated development of nine gateway cities and towns, and nine hub towns, together with complementary policies to activate the potential for lasting economic development in their hinterlands and wider regions.

The NSS remains in place, but having regard to the significantly changed economic circumstances the Government recently approved the commencement of the preparation of a new National Planning Framework as a successor to the NSS. Arrangements in this regard will now be put in place and this will be a significant area of activity during 2015.

I intend that the new National Planning Framework will be developed to maximise Ireland’s economic recovery and on-going growth at national, regional and local level, thus further contributing to sustainable national recovery through an inclusive and participative approach with all relevant national, regional and local interests and acting as the strategic context for:

1) planning in Ireland at national level, in relation to relevant Government policies and investment concerning national and regional development with particular emphasis on economic development and investment in housing, water services, transport, communications, energy, health and education infrastructure;

2) development, by the three new regional assemblies, of their new regional spatial and economic strategies, and

3) planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála discharging in their statutory planning functions.

I will make a further statement in the near future on broader arrangements in relation to the preparation of the Framework.

Regional Development Funding

Ceisteanna (523)

Seamus Kirk

Ceist:

523. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his plans to develop economic regions within the island of Ireland; the amount of money put aside for this and the direct economic benefit to the State for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17207/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Under the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government – Putting People First, the regional dimension to local government in relation to economic development has been considerably enhanced and reconfigured through the establishment of the new Northern and Western, Southern, and Eastern and Midland Regional Assemblies which will have a number of important new functions including, inter alia, the formulation and adoption of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies.

The new strategies will replace the current Regional Planning Guidelines which expire in 2016 and will have a 12 year lifespan from 2016 to 2028.

The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies will support implementation of national spatial policies and the economic policies and objectives of the Government, including the Action Plan for Jobs, by enhancing co-ordination of planning and economic development functions of relevant Government departments and agencies and the local government sector, including the new Local Economic and Community Plans.

The new strategies will, within the Government’s overall macro-economic and budgetary framework, serve to co-ordinate policy development, promotional and capital investment programmes of relevant government departments and agencies, including those engaged in enterprise development and with an EU co-finance dimension, with local government and the activities of the private sector and local communities, in order to ensure the optimal development of the country, nationally, regionally and locally.

From an island perspective, the new strategies will also take account of the Regional Development Strategy in Northern Ireland, given the many environmental, social and economic ties between Ireland and Northern Ireland that are relevant to spatial planning and economic development matters.

I am currently finalising arrangements to support the development of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies in tandem with advancing the preparation of the National Planning Framework, later this year.